Will the Minister give a short summary of the developments that are intended under this Bill, and will he say when it is likely the automatic telephone system will be in operation?
PUBLIC BUSINESS. - TELEPHONE CAPITAL BILL, 1927
Motion—"That the Bill be read a second time."
I have come to ask the Seanad to give its sanction to a Bill which has passed through the various stages in the other House unimpaired. This Bill provides for an added provision of half a million for telephone development. A similar sum was obtained for that purpose two years ago. That money is now exhausted. The present half million is intended to continue the telephone work which Senators may have observed proceeding and which was indicated in a map that I circulated some time ago. That map indicates the position of telephones in this country prior to the change over from the British administration and the immediate anticipations. We had certainly made very rapid progress with telephones during the past couple of years. I may say at this stage that during the years 1922-23 and early in 1924 there was no telephone development here. Our entire energies were devoted towards making good the damage consequent on the civil war. Therefore, the work indicated on the map is the result of two years' endeavour. Translated into figures, from the point of view of telephone stations, it includes not only call-offices but trunks. We have doubled in two years the total number of stations operating in the twenty-six counties. In addition to that, we have trebled, and in some cases quadrupled, the number of trunk wires in the country. Generally, in the case of cities like Dublin, we have more than doubled the general connection machinery. I am not exaggerating when I say that within the next twelve months there will be scarcely a village, no matter how small or remote, in this State without a telephone connection. There were practically no telephones here prior to the change of Government.
As I have now indicated we have laid a foundation which, with normal development, will find our country well away from this point of view in the immediate future. I have devoted more than ordinary attention to telephone development, as I regard it as being the most important department I control. I have set my mind thoroughly on the fact that if we are to move as a nation with sufficient rapidity, and in consonance with progressive nations, we have to get away from the slower means of communication. In other words, we have to consider how to get on with the development of telephones. I think we are well on the march in that direction, and I can assure the House that the plans we have carried through, as well as those we have in contemplation will find this State in a very comfortable position from the point of view of telephone communication. As I have indicated, within the next twelve months every little village of any importance will be connected. The next stage will be the penetration of the rural areas. In connection with that, I might inform the House that a little while ago Senators might have noticed a number of advertisements in the newspapers from my Department inviting farmers and others to come in under the system of party lines. The party line is a cheap system of development. In the case of the first mile, with three users, the charge is £3 per head per year. The party line system is a very cheap one, and is common in other countries. In a poor country like ours it is, in my opinion, the only one that has a reasonable prospect of success. When we arrive at the stage when our junctions are everywhere the next step will be a vigorous campaign for the extension of the party line system, which is the only one likely to appeal to the financial resources of the rural people. Senator O'Farrell has asked for details of our programme regarding automatic exchanges. We are operating a number of systems here. There are five systems. There is a difference of opinion in all countries as to the merits of at least two systems. We are not yet satisfied that the automatic system is the one that we should go too deeply into without further experience of its working elsewhere.
At the same time we have decided to introduce automatics in two districts here in Dublin—one in the Ship Street area, on the south side, and the other in the Merrion Square area. Ship Street area will be open for automatics next month. Therefore Dublin will have its first test of automatics, and whether it likes them or not we will have to wait and see. We have touched upon the automatic system, but whether we shall extend it to the entire Dublin area in a year or two is a matter on which I should not like to speculate at the moment. It involves a good deal of capital, and it introduces the question of imported machinery versus native labour. Beyond stating that we have two branches of the automatic system, one in immediate readiness and the other following up, I do not think I need say anything more in regard to automatics at present. Senator O'Farrell asked some questions and if any other Senator wishes to ask questions I should be glad to answer them just now.
I should like to ask just one question. In my county the telephone service is cut off after 7 o'clock, and it is cut off on the whole of Sunday. It is not available at times when it is most important that it should be.
CATHAOIRLEACH
If I were to allow the discussion to go on these lines it would develop into the bringing forward of a number of grievances. Indeed I might like to have a go at it myself if it were in order.
Question put and agreed to.